The present invention relates, in general, to fluid quick connectors which couple two fluid operative components together.
Snap-fit or quick connectors are employed in a wide range of applications, particularly, for joining fluid carrying conduits in automotive and industrial application. Such quick connectors utilize retainers or locking elements for securing a first connector component, such as a tubular conduit, within a complimentary bore of a second connector component or housing. Such retainers are typically of either the axially-displaceable or radially-displaceable type. The terms xe2x80x9caxially-displaceablexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cradially-displaceablexe2x80x9d are taken relative to the axial bore through the second component.
In a typical quick connector with an axially displaceable retainer, the retainer is mounted within a bore in a housing of the second connector component of housing. The retainer has a plurality of radially and angularly extending legs which extend inwardly toward the axial center line of the bore in the housing. A tube or male component to be sealingly mounted in the bore in the second component includes a radially upset portion or flange which abuts an inner peripheral surface of the retainer legs. Seal and spacer members as well as a bearing or top hat are typically mounted in the bore ahead of the retainer to form a seal between the housing and the first connector component when the first connector component is lockingly engaged with the retainer legs in the housing.
Radially displaceable retainers are also known in which the retainer is radially displaceable through aligned bores or apertures formed transversely to the main throughbore in the second connector component housing. The radially displaceable retainer is typically provided with a pair of depending legs which are sized and positioned to slip behind the radially upset portion or flange on the first component or conduit only when the conduit is fully seated in the bore in the second component. This ensures a positive locking engagement of the conduit with the second component as well as providing an indication that the conduit is fully seated since the radially displaceable retainer can be fully inserted into the second component only when the conduit has been fully inserted into the bore in the second component.
In other types of quick connectors used with flangeless endforms, a clip in the form of an annular ring is provided in the second connector housing and has a plurality of angularly extending fingers projecting from the inner diameter of the ring. The fingers are angled to allow easy insertion of an endform and the conduit into the housing through the fingers. However, a reverse movement in the direction to separate the endform from the housing causes the fingers to dig into the exterior wall of the endform to resist and provide pull-out force resistance to tend to maintain the endform in the second connector housing.
In such an endform, the retention clip is held in the housing by means of a retainer, such as an axially insertable retainer which is inserted into the open end of the second connector housing after the retention clip has been inserted into the second connector bore.
However, while such retention clips provide a means for securing a flangeless endform or tube in a connector housing, they necessarily represent a separate member which increases the assembly time of the connector assembly. More importantly, the angled fingers on the retention clip dig into and scrape the exterior surface of the endform while the endform is being inserted into the connector housing. This may remove the protective coating normally found on metal tubes which could lead to corrosion and an eventual breakdown or leak through the quick connector.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a quick connector retention means which overcomes the problems of previously devised retention means used in quick connectors for flangeless endforms. It would also be desirable to provide a quick connector retention means for flangeless endforms which does not require excessive modification of existing quick connector designs. It would also be desirable to provide a quick connector retention means which minimizes damage to the endform during insertion into the connector housing. It would also be desirable to provide a quick connector retention means which reduces the number of separate components required in the quick connector assembly. It would also be desirable to provide a quick connector retention means which is operative only on movement of a quick connector retainer to a last position in the quick connector housing.
The present invention is a fluid quick connector with a retention clip for securing a flangeless endform to a connector housing.
In one aspect, the fluid quick connector includes a housing having a through bore extending between opposed first and second ends, the endform insertable into the bore through the first end of the housing. The second end of the housing is attachable to a fluid operative element.
The retention clip has at least one radially extending projection adapted to engage the endform to prevent movement of the endform opposite to an insertion direction of the endform into the housing bore.
A retainer is mountable in the housing. The retention clip is carried by the retainer for movement between a first position spaced from an insertion path of the endform into the bore in the housing, and a second position concurrent with movement of a retainer to a second position engaged with the endform.
In one aspect the retention clip is unitarily carried with the retainer. The retention clip has a first portion fixed to the retainer, and at least one projection cantilevered from the first portion into the bore in the housing.
In another aspect the retention clip is fixedly joined to the retainer.
In this aspect, the retention clip is insert molded in the retainer, which the at least one projection extending from the retainer into the bore in the housing when the retainer is in the second mounting position.
The retention clip includes a planar body having a first end fixed to the retainer, the at least one projection extending from the first end. The end portion of the retainer extends transverse to the housing bore.
In another aspect, the retention clip includes at least a first leg depending from the end portion of the retainer body.
In one aspect the retention clip includes:
at least one end fixed to the retainer;
a pair of legs extending from the end; and
the projection formed on at least one of the end and the legs,
the at least one projection is carried on at least one of the side legs.
Preferably at least one projection comprises a plurality of projections, at least one of the plurality projections carried on each of the end and each of the legs.
Alternately the at least one projection includes a plurality of projections, at least one of the plurality projections carried on each of the end and each of the legs of the retention clip.
An inner end of the projection(s) is disposed at a diameter less than the outer diameter of the endform.
In one aspect, the projection on the retention clip has an inner end. The retainer is mountable in the housing in a temporary mounting position allowing insertion of the endform into the bore in the housing without substantial contact between the inner end of the projection and the endform.
In another aspect the at least one projection has an inner end disposed at a predetermined, non-perpendicular angle with respect to the endform. Preferably the inner end of the at least one projection is angled toward the second end of the housing.
The fluid quick connector of the present invention provides an expedient and simplified connection between connector body having a transversely moveable retainer and a flangeless endform while at the same time preventing engagement between a retention clip carried on the retainer and the endform during insertion of the endform into the housing. This minimizes possible damage to the protective coating which may be applied to the exterior surface of the endform by preventing engagement between the sharp edges of the retention clip and the endform while the endform is being inserted into the quick connector housing. However, the lock fingers on the retention clip are moveable into engagement with the endform during transverse movement of the retainer into a fully locked position in the connector housing. The angled ends of the lock fingers prevent axially outward separation of the endform.
The retention clip and retainer configuration of the present invention enables a retainer and a quick connector housing suited for use with endforms having annular beads or flanges to be uniquely used with a flangeless endform while still providing all the necessary sealed locking of the endform in the connecting housing. These advantages are achieved without significant modification to the retainer and connector housing.